If you have been found guilty of a crime you have a right to appeal your case to a higher court. If you have been convicted of a misdemeanor or traffic offense in General District or Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court you have 10 days to note your appeal to the Circuit Court. This means you will get a brand new trial where you can make new arguments and present new evidence. You will also get a new verdict and the Court can dismiss your charge or find you guilty again. If convicted in Circuit Court there is no guarantee that you will get a lighter sentence. Make sure you talk with an attorney about the pros and cons of appealing your case before you do so.
If you have been convicted of a felony offense in Circuit Court you have 30 days to note your appeal to the Virginia Court of Appeals. Once the appeal is noted we will order your transcripts and prepare a Petition for Appeal that outlines all of the key issues from your case. The Court of Appeals can grant or deny this petition. Hopefully they grant it so our lawyers can argue your case before a panel of Court of Appeals Judges. If the petition is denied you can further your appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court. It’s important to note that the appeals process takes time and it can take several months before a decision is reached. Please calls us. We are happy to walk you through the appeal process.